Domain Names + Web Hosting

I’ve been using Dreamhost for years and the good news is they’ve gotten better over time. I strongly recommend Dreamhost now more than ever.

Here’s what I like:

Easy one-click installs of WordPress.

DreamPress: a special WordPress hosting service. (I use it for this blog.)

I also like their chat support feature. They’re super helpful and I’ve been very happy with their service.

If you need web hosting or to purchase domain names, I highly recommend Dreamhost.

Bluehost

I don’t personally use Bluehost but many of my clients do. Bluehost is a leader in the industry and if you’re a beginner, you may find Bluehost easier to use than Dreamhost. The web hosting service is very inexpensive and right now they’re offering a free domain with web hosting.

WP Engine

If you’re looking for web hosting for WordPress, this is another the way to go. WP Engine is the industry leader in managed WordPress hosting. I’ve been considering making the change to WP Engine but can’t seem to leave Dreamhost. 🙂

WordPress + Squarespace Themes

I’ve built many sites in WordPress, but Squarespace is a fierce competitor and is really gaining traction in the market. Here are my favorite resources for WordPress and Squarespace themes.

ThemeForest

I’m a loyal ThemeForest customer and have been buying WordPress themes for years. I spend hours looking at WordPress themes. Geeky, right?

Here are a few of my favorite themes. (I’ll try to update these when I can!)

Station Seven

When I looked for a theme for this site I ran across Station Seven and fell in love with the Monstera theme. Love.love.love.it! The designers at Station Seven do exquisite work that I really admire. If you like minimalism, they’re perfect for you! They have beautiful WordPress themes, Squarespace templates, and design kits for social media posts.

StudioPress

Before finding the Monstera theme, I looked at this Creative theme at StudioPress.

I’ve heard great thing about StudioPress. Their themes run on the Genesis Framework. Without getting terribly technical, the Genesis framework offers features to make it simple to set up your site exactly the way you want it. And if you change your mind later, you’re just a few clicks away from creating new sections and functions.” That’s the easiest way to say that it’s easy to customize and a robust framework. Check it out.

WordPress Plugins

Finding the right plugin for your WordPress project can be the secret to a successful design! (Well, it sure helps!)

CodeCanyon

I find great WordPress plugins on Code Canyon. Here are some of my favorite:

Don’t miss this free download! Do you want a handy list of these business resources as a PDF? You can download it right now!

TIME SAVERS FOR YOUR BIZ

I’m obsessed with making my work more efficient and streamlined.

I’ll write more about productivity soon, but here are a few tools I have found to be the best:

Trello

Cannot.live.without.
My entire life is in Trello. I love, love, love it.

Try it. It’s a great organizational tool and I’ve used it as a project management tool for team projects and it’s excellent for that too. Try it and let me know what you think!

ConvertKit

If you haven’t started an email list, please start now! (I’ll write more about this in the near future!) I gotta admit, I’ve always loved MailChimp. It’s an excellent product and an example of a brand with personality. But while MailChimp is fine if you’re starting out and your needs are simple, when you become serious about your business and your email list ConvertKit is a much more robust tool.

FreshBooks

It wasn’t that long ago that I used an Illustrator file as an invoice template. (wee-ow!!) Using cloud accounting is the way to go. Create online invoices, estimates, expenses, and even time tracking. I’ve been trying out FreshBooks and so far I like how it works. It’s easy, intuitive and affordable. Runs around $15 to $25 per month depending on how many clients you have.